Study: Suicide deaths in Ohio increased by 44.8 percent from 2014-2018

YOUNGSTOWN — The number of suicide deaths in Ohio increased 44.8 percent from 2014 to 2018, according to a recent report from the Ohio Department of Health.

In 2018, there were 1,836 suicide deaths, and the four-year study identifies increased rates across all demographic groups.

The study "points out how suicide is really a problem across the lifespan," said Dr. Mark Hurst, medical director at the Ohio Department of Health.

Suicide rates typically decrease in times of economic growth, but the report makes clear that today's economic growth has not impacted everyone.

"The increase in suicide has to do with increased number of individuals feeling left behind and marginalized in our society," said Dr. Hurst.

While strides have been made to combat the stigma of mental health, officials said there's still a long way to go.

"We don't talk about suicide, and we don't talk about mental health," said Tony Coder, the executive director of the Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation.

LOCAL NUMBERS

Between 2014 and 2018, the rate of suicide deaths in Ohio was 14.1 for every 100,000 people. The Mahoning Valley is among the regions more intensely affected.

• Trumbull County: 18.9
• Columbiana County: 18
• Mahoning County: 14.5

The highest rates of suicide in Ohio are in the heart of Appalachia, and counties hit hard by recent changes, like Mahoning and Trumbull, Dr. Hurst explained. In the last year, the Mahoning Valley has suffered the loss of Northside Hospital, General Motors Lordstown and The Vindicator.

One significant risk factor is job loss, which can create "loss of social position," said Hurst.

FARMER MENTAL HEALTH

When it comes to the link between job stress and mental health, experts have recently adopted a very targeted suicide prevention strategy: reaching out to farmers.

In 2018, the Upper Midwest Agricultural Safety and Health Center started addressing the mental health challenges faced by farmers.

"Weather has been really challenging for farmers across the country," said UMASH Outreach Coordinator Megan Schossow. "It directly affects your bottom line and ability to produce crops."

The economics of agriculture — from pricing to tariffs — has also challenged farmers.

"A lot of farmers haven't been making a profit for a number of years at this point," said Schossow.

In addition, the culture of farming often clashes with the concept of reaching out for help. Farmers work alone and wear many hats.

"Culturally, a lot of farmers are independent," said Schossow. "They're fixers. They're providers."

Connecting farmers to mental health services is not enough. The resources must be rooted in the community, Schossow said. She explained that the organization has heard stories of therapists telling a farmer to simply sell products to someone else.

To address mental health issues in Ohio's agricultural communities, the Ohio Department of Agriculture partnered with the Ohio Department of Health to launch the "Got Your Back" campaign.

The website helps farmers recognize signs of stress and connect them to resources that offer support.

YOUTH SUICIDE

Suicide rates increased across all age ranges, but the highest increase was seen among youth ages 10 to 24. The rate increased 64.4 percent, from 7.3 to 12 deaths per 100,000 people.

Local experts point to the effect of social media on children's psyches. Social media increases feelings of isolation by encouraging kids to compare themselves to others.

Social media also allows bullying to extend from school into home, which can exacerbate isolation experienced by marginalized groups, like LGBTQ youth.

"You could come home and be safe. Now it's 24 hours a day," said Duane Piccirilli, executive director of the Mahoning County Mental Health and Recovery Board.

In addition, many parents struggle to effectively respond to a child exhibiting signs of suicidal behavior.

"This is not a reflection on your parenting," said Coder. "It's a health issue that needs to be treated medically."

"Never just assume that a child is going through a phase," said Dr. Hurst.

But, identifying warning signs of suicidal behavior is not enough, said Joe Shorokey, CEO of Alta Behavioral Healthcare.

He notes that children are also dealing with increased pressure to achieve at school and from parents.

"I never hear people talking about what is pushing down on our children, making them feel that way," said Shorokey.

While its beneficial to understand the warning signs of someone who is suicidal, it's necessary to change academic culture to focus more on social and emotional health rather than test scores.

OPIOID CRISIS AFTERMATH

While the public health issue of suicide intersects significantly with the opioid epidemic, Coder is asking about the mental health of those left behind.

"We were losing eight, nine ten people a day to opiates in the state of Ohio only. These people all have family members and loved ones and kids and parents," said Coder.

He fears that the trauma of witnessing a loved one's addiction could affect the mental health of family members.

"We're going to see more depression and issues with mental illness," said Coder.

RESOURCES

Suicide is a complex public health issue that requires multiple prevention approaches. But, Coder noted that, for many who die by suicide, more can be done by their regular doctors.

About half of victims visited their primary care provider within a month before their death, said Coder.

"How can we get hospital systems to properly assess these folks?" Coder asked.

He mentioned the Zero Suicide model of the Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, which connects behavioral health care to primary care.

The national Crisis Text Line offers free and confidential support 24 hours a day. Throughout Ohio, anyone can text "4hope" to 741741 to be connected to a crisis counselor.

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is also available 24 hours a day to provide support to people in distress. The number is: 1-800-273-TALK (8255).

The local crisis hotline can be reached at 330-747-2696.

LGBTQ youth in distress can access immediate health through The Trevor Project by calling 1-866-488-7386.

This story was originally published November 25, 2019 at 5:55 AM with the headline "Study: Suicide deaths in Ohio increased by 44.8 percent from 2014-2018."